The Lakers have always had a strong bond with their G League affiliate, South Bay. However, new head coach JJ Redick is eager to push the relationship to the next level.
Over the years, many notable names have represented the Lakers in the G League, and they have gone on to forge successful NBA careers. Alex Caruso, Gary Payton II, Josh Hart, Ivica Zubac and Thomas Bryant are a handful of names to pass through South Bay.
This summer, the Lakers parted ways with South Bay head coach Dane Johnson, and brought in Zach Guthrie as a replacement.
Redick has since elaborated on the significance of hiring Guthrie in developing a stronger G League pathway, seeing him as an “extension” of his NBA staff.
“We hired Zach Guthrie as our G League head coach. All we’ve talked about in the interview process with him and since he’s been on board is just creating synergy and integration. The G League is not a demotion by any stretch. We are in the same building,” Redick said on a recent episode of “The Lowe Post” podcast.
“We should be the model for integration between the NBA team and the G League team. I look at Zach as an extension of my staff. I look at that team as an extension of our team. I would expect us to use the G League for very specific reasons.”
Redick has previously categorized Bronny James as a “developmental player,” with it widely believed that the rookie will spend considerable time in the G League this coming season.
Additionally, South Bay could assist in the continued development of Jalen Hood-Schifino, as well as Colin Castleton, Armel Traore and Christian Koloko, who are all signed to two-way deals.
Whether Dalton Knecht, who the Lakers drafted with the 17th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, will see time in the G League remains to be seen. Kylor Kelley leads a pack of players signed to training-camp deals, with an eye on filling South Bay’s roster ahead of the upcoming G League campaign.
Kelley was the G League’s leader in blocks per game (2.9) in 2023-24, as he was named to the league’s All-Defensive Team. The agile 7-footer could form an effective and entertaining frontcourt alongside Castleton and Koloko.
It was recently reported that South Bay has added three new assistant coaches to Guthrie’s staff: Perry Huang, Barbara Turner and Mo Charlo. They join assistant Alex Cerda and video coordinator Joshua Townsend to complete the Lakers G League staff.
